Washington DC Debuts Memorial Honoring The Bravery Of Native American Veterans

Over the weekend, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian held a three-day event to dedicate the National Native American Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC.

The monument, which was created in honor of Native American veterans, sits within the museum’s grounds, and was commissioned by Congress to give “all Americans the opportunity to learn of the proud and courageous tradition of service of Native Americans in the Armed Forces of the United States.” 

For those not in the know, Native Americans have served in every major military conflict the country has faced since the Revolutionary War, with the newly-instated memorial being the first national landmark recognizing the contributions of these American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the National Native American Veterans Memorial dedication today! The celebration isn't over--join us as we celebrate Native veterans with family-friendly activities, films, performances, and more all weekend long. https://t.co/m1f9LObAHm pic.twitter.com/UiV3vtyvfB

— National Museum of the American Indian (@SmithsonianNMAI) November 11, 2022

Designed by Harvey Pratt, who hails from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, the landmark is made up of an elevated silver circle—made out of stainless steel—which rests upon a carved stone drum. 

According to NPR, the artist chose concepts that would most likely be universal to the nearly 600 Native tribes across the nation. Additionally, the memorial even incorporates water for ceremonies, benches, and has four lances where visitors can tie cloths for prayers and healing. 

“The dedication of this memorial is an opportunity to gather and reflect on the extraordinary service and sacrifice of Native veterans and their families,” says Cynthia Chavez Lamar, director of the museum. 

Going forward, the institution will continue to raise funds for the memorial’s endowment, with a goal of US$5 million to ensure the landmark’s continued upkeep, and ongoing programming, interpretation, and events on Native American veterans. 

The memorial flame of the National Native American Veterans Memorial is lit. The memorial recognizes for the first time on a national scale the enduring and distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military. #NativeVeterans #VeteransDay pic.twitter.com/kSyhQlXi7S

— Smithsonian (@smithsonian) November 12, 2022

[via NPR and Smithsonian Institution, images via various sources]